


Show Me Your Teeth

by riots



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-14
Updated: 2014-10-14
Packaged: 2018-02-21 03:25:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2452946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riots/pseuds/riots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joonmyun's reputation as a dragon tamer has perhaps been exaggerated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Show Me Your Teeth

"I trust that you will not prove my faith misplaced, Sir Joonmyun," the young prince says. His smile is carefully measured, but Joonmyun can see the teeth behind it, and he understands that no amount of argument will free him. One does not argue with a prince, no matter how long one has known him.

He could protest, of course, argue that his reputation is greatly exaggerated, and it is. But Joonmyun would never dishonour Yifan like that. Instead, he bows, low and neat. "Of course not, your Highness," he agrees. "I will do my best."

"You always do." Yifan nods, and Joonmyun knows it's a dismissal. He takes his leave and heads straight to his chambers. After all, it will take him some time to prepare.

 

 

-

 

 

"It _is_ your own fault," Jongdae points out. Joonmyun is not certain why he asked his friend to help him gather his supplies. Jongdae has instead chosen to plant himself in a chair, feet kicked up on a table as he idly watches Joonmyun work.

Joonmyun delicately sifts through the vials of herbs on his work table before he settles on a few, tucking them into his bag. "Please, remind me," he sighs. "Why are we friends?"

Jongdae grins at him, wide and almost feral. "For my astounding good looks?" he suggests. Joonmyun throws a glove at him, and he savours the noisy thwap of it against Jongdae's face. "Maybe not."

"Maybe not," Joonmyun agrees. He stands back for a second to take inventory of what he's gathered. Gloves, healing supplies (far better to be prepared), the heavy leather armour. Chasing dragons is a bit of a hazardous profession, after all.

"Your sword, perhaps?" Jongdae suggests, stretching one skinny arm out to point to the weapon.

Joonmyun pauses, bites his lip. He prefers to be safer, prepared, it's true, but that is not part of the job description. He is a dragon _tamer_ , and that job naturally requires a living dragon to tame. "Right," he says. He slings the sheath over his shoulder. He knows from experience that dragons are smart beings, and if they spot the sword, it is much more difficult to proceed.

"Someday," Jongdae sighs, climbing to his feet. "Someday, one of those beasts is going to take a bite out of you." He tucks a long blade into Joonmyun's bag, ignoring his protests, and fastens it shut for him.

"I have been lucky so far," Joonmyun replies. His horse should be ready by now. He would have preferred a night's sleep before he headed out on a great task such as this, but Yifan, as always, had been firm.

For a second, Jongdae looks serious. Perhaps this is routine, but that does not mean there is no danger in it, and they both know it. "Come back alive, please," Jongdae says.

Joonmyun shoulders his bag and he smiles reassuringly. "I will do my best," he promises, one hand pressed firmly against Jongdae's shoulder, and then, with one deep breath, he heads out the door. He has a job to do.

 

 

-

 

 

It takes him three days to make it to the mountain range where Prince Yifan's stray dragon has made its home. It is not difficult to discover where it has made itself comfortable. There is a swath of burned trees leading up to a large cave, and he sees smoke spiral out of the cave mouth.

Beneath him, Chanyeol shifts restlessly, whinnying softly. "Easy," Joonmyun murmurs, and he carefully dismounts. He loops the reins loosely around a nearby tree. He knows that Chanyeol will not run on his own, but should his steed have the need to flee, he would rather he had the option. Jongdae teases him, sometimes, for being so soft on his horse, especially one as ungainly as Chanyeol, but Joonmyun pays him no mind. Chanyeol is a good horse, and Joonmyun repays that with respect.

It is another hour before Joonmyun makes it up to the cave, his boots and hands stained with ash. Deep, in the depths of the cave, Joonmyun sees something move. Somebody is home.

Joonmyun chooses a large, round rock and makes himself comfortable. Now, it is a matter of waiting. He removes one boot, then the other, banging the soles firmly against the cave floor. It serves two purposes: one, it shakes the ash loose before it can settle into the leather of his boots; and two, it is noisy, drawing the attention of the creature at the back of the cave.

It works. As he tugs his boots back on, he hears a rustle in the dark, and he glances up as a shape uncoils itself into the light. This one is young, he can tell. It is long and slender, and its scales are a reflective silver. As it steps out carefully towards him, it bends its long neck down to peer at him.

"Hello," Joonmyun says amiably. The dragon does not pull away, but he smiles when he sees its wings stretch and flutter restlessly. Almost full grown, he would estimate. A male, he thinks. "I am Joonmyun. I am a knight, but you do not have to call me sir."

It earns him a huff, a faceful of smoke. When Joonmyun opens his eyes again, blinking away the sting of tears, the dragon has settled itself in front of him, still watching warily. Joonmyun has known some men to bring meat with them, sometimes poisoned, an attempt to weaken a dragon, but their methods are crude. They appeal to only one side of the beast. Sloppy.

"Is that funny?" Joonmyun asks, and the dragon bobs its head. Joonmyun smiles. Young dragons may be unpredictable, but they are also the easiest to get through to. "Come, now. Is this fair?" He gestures at the dragon, looming over him. "You have already made me cry once."

Another huff, and this time, the smoke in his eyes was most assuredly intentional. Joonmyun buries his face in his arm and coughs, desperately trying to drag in a lungful of air. When he looks up again, the dragon almost looks like it is smug. Maybe it is even younger than he had assumed. "Please," Joonmyun says, a bit more sharply than he had intended.

The dragon raises itself to its feet and turns, its tail swinging precariously close to Joonmyun's head as it disappears once more into the dark of the cave.

It is gone for long enough that Joonmyun sighs, reevaluating what it will take to tame this one. His planning is cut short when a figure emerges from the cave once more. "Ah," Joonmyun says. "That is more like it."

A man walks towards him, barefoot and pale. He is young, his hair the same shade as his scales, his shoulders broad and his body lean. "I decided to indulge you," the dragon says, shrugging a shoulder. He is as insolent as Joonmyun had expected, and handsome, in an odd way. "You are brave."

Joonmyun tips his head. "Am I?" he asks. "Are you the big, scary, man-eating type?" He holds up one hand in the imitation of a growl, and the dragon makes a face, looks faintly embarrassed. "I simply trusted that you would have more of a brain than most men with a sword assume."

"Do you do this often?" the dragon asks curiously. "Staring down dragons, I mean."

"It is my job," Joonmyun replies. "And you burned down half a village. The prince frowns upon it."

It astonishes him to see a flush creep across the dragon's bare chest and up his throat to his face. "Ah," he says, but he does not continue.

"You killed people, dragon," Joonmyun says gently. "You are lucky that they sent me after you, not someone handier with a blade."

He is so young. Joonmyun suspects he must not be any older than his own younger brother, Jongin. "My name is Sehun," the dragon snaps. Joonmyun is not a big man, and Sehun is easily several inches taller and broader, too. And yet, he watches as Sehun folds in on himself, and he looks much smaller. "And I never - I did not intend it." Joonmyun waits, patient. "I am still not good with. Well." His eyes flick up. "Did I hurt many?" His arrogance is gone.

Joonmyun has never met one this young. He reaches out a careful hand and rests it against Sehun's elbow. "You are very, very lucky," Joonmyun says again. "Mayday celebrations meant that the most of the village was out on the green, not in their homes." He tips his head. "But you knew that, did you not? You were choosing a time to practice. Clever."

"No," Sehun says sullenly. He straightens his shoulders and frowns at Joonmyun. "I am a dragon. I do not wait for the convenience of men to fly." He bares his teeth, and for a second, they are impossibly sharp, and Joonmyun sees a puff of smoke escape his mouth.

"Of course," Joonmyun holds out up his hands. "My apologies." Mollified, Sehun settles, the silver sheen fading from his skin. "Will it happen again, do you think?"

Sehun shakes his head, and the arrogance is there again, sketched in the stretch of his throat and the straight line of his back. "No," he says firmly. "I have it, now."

"That is good news," Joonmyun says. He stands, pulling his gloves off. "Tell me, can I tell the prince that there is no threat here?" He has to fight the urge not to smile as Sehun bristles again, the shadow of wings fluttering behind him as his eyes flash hard and dark. "One that requires dragon-slayers," he clarifies.

Sehun's mouth twists, but he protests no further. "No. I do not intend to burn down anymore villages." Standing next to him like this, Joonmyun is more aware of the difference in their heights.

Joonmyun favours him with a smile. "Good," he says. "I would regret sending them after you." He hoists the bag on his shoulder. "It was nice to meet you, Sehun."

He's at the mouth of the cave, preparing to descend once more through the burned out forest, back to where Chanyeol is, when Sehun speaks again. "Are you leaving, then?" Joonmyun freezes, his mouth falling open. He has never known a dragon to sound, well, lonely. They are solitary creatures by nature. He turns to look at the young man, and Sehun's eyes are wary.

It is an impetuous decision, one that only takes Joonmyun a few seconds to make. Dragons are not forbidden in the castle, but they are certainly not encouraged. "Would you like to come with me?" Joonmyun asks, before he can think again and change his mind.

Sehun blinks at him, baffled. "To the city?" he asks.

"That is where I live, yes," Joonmyun laughs. "Perhaps you could put on clothes first." Sehun hesitates. “It is up to you.”

Sehun does not speak for long enough that Joonmyun thinks it must be a decision in itself and he turns to go again. “Wait,” Sehun calls. “I would! I would.”

It surprises Joonmyun, how much this pleases me. “You may come on one condition,” he says as Sehun runs to catch up to him. “You must not burn anything down.”

“Yes,” Sehun agrees. “The prince frowns on that. So you said.” Twigs snap beneath Sehun's bare feet as they make their way down the mountain, but Sehun seems unconcerned. One of the perks of being a magical creature, Joonmyun supposes. “Must I call you sir, there?”

“Do dragons know of respect?” Joonmyun asks, and when Sehun laughs, he can't help but smile. Yifan is not going to be pleased, when he comes home with a stray dragon. He looks forward to seeing the way his strong brow will furrow with irritation. It is worth it, he thinks. Sehun looks lit up under the bright sunlight, his silver hair shining, and something about it makes Joonmyun's breath catch.


End file.
